(D)Mysticize: Assumptions All the Way Down
By Jan Schneider
The Hook
Most people believe they are living in a single, objective world. They assume that science describes "what is," that time is a "thing" permeating the universe, that their personality is "who they are," and that their consciousness is either their "personal ethereal identifier" or just "a product of their brains."
But what if these aren't facts? What if they are merely high-resolution maps-useful for some tasks, but completely wrong for others?
(D)Mysticize is not a book about spirituality, nor is it a traditional physics text. It is a manual for the "human operating system." It is an exploration into the fundamental architecture of reality, designed to strip away the layers of unexamined assumptions that keep us trapped in cycles of anxiety, confusion, and existential dread.
The Invitation
Verify your Knowledge, question your Assumptions, and explore the use of different Maps.
The book lays the groundwork by looking into the properties of knowledge, then moves into a structured series of inquiries into reality, guiding you through distinct layers of existence:
I. The World of Objects (Physics & Time)
We begin where most modern thinking ends: with Physicalism. We deconstruct the "common sense" of the material world. Do clocks really measure time, or do they simply track a rate of change? Is "Objectivity" an absolute state of the universe, or a temporary agreement based on resolution? Where exactly does this world of solid objects begin to break down, and what is left standing when it does?
II. The World of Meaning (Stories & Identity)
If atoms and laws cannot explain the weight of a broken heart or the pull of an ambition, we must switch to another map-one that allows us to explore who we are. Is identity a static "soul," a fixed brain-pattern, or a fluid, ever-changing process? In a world that is being created moment-to-moment through our own actions and the "Embodied Stories" we inhabit, what is the actual meaning of truth? Can a story be "True Enough" even if it cannot be measured in a lab?
III. The World of Life (Change & Experience)
The book then takes a 90-degree turn with the aim of looking for an undeniable truth. Moving away from the identity of who we are to the raw fact of what we are, we face the inescapable constraints of being alive. We explore the boundaries of where life begins and ends, and how the reality of impermanence reshapes our entire understanding of value, grief, and joy. What remains of "You" when the story stops moving?
The Hard Problem
All of these worldviews serve their purposes, but they all seem to break at the same place: "Consciousness." To address this, we must go deeper than the evidence allows. We must rely on assumptions all the way down. How do we bridge the gap between the cold calculations of a physical universe and the subjective "glow" of being alive?
The Pragmatic Result
This journey is not merely theoretical; it is a guide to Surrender. The reader is left with a stark, liberating choice. In a universe of inevitable change, you cannot control the wind, but you can choose the quality of your sails. If you are not happy now, you will never be happy. (D)Mysticize gives you the tools to stop chasing the map and start living in the territory.
Whether the book mysticizes the universe or de-mysticizes it is for you to decide.
